Grazing cattle in logged out areas

By ROSELYN ELLISON
THERE are a lot of negative stories and comments about logging operations throughout Papua New Guinea but one thing people don’t understand or realise is that companies involved provide basic services like roads and bridges to the remotest areas in the country.
One such logging company is KK Connection Ltd (KKCL) operating in the North Coast area of East New Britain.
KKCL logging company started operating and harvesting trees since 2008 and while harvesting trees they step in to provide and deliver basic services and one such example is now the New Britain highway.
Under the Forest Clearance Authority (FCA) KKCL, ENB division of Agriculture and Livestock and ENB division of forest, Environment and Climate Change unit have come together and initiated integrated farming projects for FCAs in the North Coast area where KKCL operates.
The New Britain Highway runs through five FCAs and these are Toriu, Dengnenge A, Dengnenge B, Makolkol, Suikol and Inland Pomio Timber Rights Purchase area.
With support from KKCL, the provincial divisions of agriculture and livestock, and forests, environment and climate change, Dengnenge A FCA ventured into agro-forestry, reforestation and integrated farming which includes a cattle ranch.
Last month I was invited by two public servants, Hosila Turbarat, a provincial livestock officer and Florence Paisparea from the division of forests to Mandrabit in the Lassul-Baining local level government (LLG) of Gazelle district. We were there to see cattle farming and other agricultural projects and reforestation in the Dengnenge A FCA. Dengnenge is located within the Mandrabit ward and is not far from Open Bay; it is only 20 minutes’ drive from Mandarabit to Open Bay station.
On Friday June 11 three media colleagues and I joined the team from the provincial division of agriculture and livestock and forest, environment and climate change travelled to travel to Mandrabit and Open Bay.
The livestock officers and specialists from the Vudal campus of PNG University of Natural Resources and Environment (PNGUNRE) were also part of the travelling party. We travelled in two separate trucks with one bull and five heifers.
According to Turbarat, they engaged the PNG UNRE and also invited them to come along with the team because they would play a vital role in training locals on how to raise cattle.
While at Mandarabit where the cattle ranch will be located, Turbarat gave a briefing about the the cattle project and how the logging company KKCL stepped in to support the work.
She said ENB, through integrated farming projects like livestock and agriculture, was seizing the opportunity to showcase what could be done despite the negativity surrounding logging.
Turbarat furthermore stated that this was one the positive things that the province could do after logging has taken place – to encourage, empower and develop the rural areas.
“If farmers are given the exposure of the cattle project this would also raise farmers’ interest to venture into cattle farming, thus expanding the cattle project into various areas and locations in the province,” said Turbarat.
“Likewise the ENB government and the division of agriculture and livestock have certain targets to achieve and have development plans aligned to meet these targets with regard to agriculture and livestock.
“Currently we have not been meeting our targets in all our plans we are still below only cocoa has been meeting the targets,” she added.
She also added that, though they had a long way to go with this cattle project and that progress was steady.
“The aim is to continue sustaining the project with vigour and consistency or it might fail.”
At Mandrabit I also had an opportunity to speak to the chairman of the Dengnenge A FCA Resource Development Ltd Aron Umertamga. He explained that the Dengnenge A FCA Resource Development Ltd was a landowner company set up to serve the interests of the landowners in promoting development in their area.
Umertamga said there were four clans in Dengnenge that formed Dengnenge A.
“This cattle project we initiated with the interest of the people as they want development and by going through the Forestry Act and concept, we see FCA is the best that can meet the needs of all the landowners of Dengnenge A,” Umertamga said.
“We initiated this project with ENB division of Forestry and they agreed with our initiative so we brought this forward to the logging company KKCL,”
Umertamga said KKCL started giving support and assisting them from the day one even when the initial part of the project was still under negotiation up to when eventually the project wa off the ground. The company helped start the cattle ranch with six heifers and one bull to the Dengnenge” A” FCA Resource Development Ltd cattle project.
He also said they have already receive their permit which is Dengnenge A FCA 15 15 for this project.
Under the project the landowners have opportunities in reforestation (kumarere plantations) and livestock development.
“We want the cattle farming project because we know it will meet our needs in our village Mandrabit,” he said.
The stretch of the New Britain Highway through the Dengnenge FCA was built by the logging company KKCL and now people from East and West New Britain are benefiting from this road and that is one good thing the logging company has brought about.
Florence Paisparea who is the acting coordinator with ENB division of forest, environment and climate change told The National that the project waswithin an area of approximately 32,970 hectares commonly known as Dengnenge A forest resource area.